In order to fulfill the need for ornamental fish for the edifice of a landmark building in Midtown, a 1858 Federal style gatehouse, they turned to the one company capable of such authentic recreation–Gotham MetalWorks in Brooklyn.

Normally, recreating an item like this involves creating a plaster cast, something impossible with an item made of four separate pieces. Instead, the craftsman at Gotham MetalWorks created a rubber mold, then a plaster cast of each piece, sharpening detail after each imaging. The final piece was stamped in copper using a pneumatic press, precisely reproducing the architectural element. “We are likely the only metal shop in the region with the capability to have done this reproduction with the precision and authenticity that the client required,” said Branch Manager Doug Kisley.

Gotham MetalWorks has a long standing history with landmark buildings throughout NYC. Because these buildings require specific replication of existing materials during restoration or renovation, approval can be an arduous process for contractors and architects. With an extensive knowledge of historical preservation coupled with CAD and state-of-the-art techniques, Gotham MetalWorks focuses on achieving the desired result of both client and contractor, while adhering to the Landmarks Commission codes.

Shalom Baranes’ renovation of a 1984 office building transformed a waterfront eyesore into a sleek condominium complex. (Thomas Arledge Photography)

Brick and metal transform a tired office block into a residential building worthy of its site.

Located on a slice of land adjacent to the Potomac River in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, the 1984 Sheet Metal Workers Union National Pension Fund building failed to live up to the site’s potential. “I’ve used this in a couple of lectures,” said Shalom Baranes Associates principal Patrick Burkhart. “I show ‘before’ photos and ask the audience, ‘What is this building?’ The answers include: ‘It looks like an urban jail.'” When the property came on the market, Maryland-based developer EYA seized the opportunity to transform the waterfront eyesore into a contemporary condominium complex. Clad in brick and metal paneling, with high performance glazing emphasizing views along the Potomac, the Oronoco balances a sleek urban aesthetic with sensitivity to Old Town’s historic fabric.

You’ve got to have one. A facade, that is. So AN rounded up five leading glass and metal facade systems whose value is more than skin deep. For instance, Kalzip‘s FC Rainscreen, used on New Orleans’ Superdome. These aluminum panels form a non-penetrative facade system that can be installed in two directions, from top to bottom or from the bottom up. Individual sheets can be removed and installed independently of the rest of the assembly. The system’s quick, cost-effective installation procedure won it the job of renovating the Superdome in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.